Self-locking cap for gasoline tanks



Jan. 5, 1932. B FA|RH|LD 1,839,662

SELF LOCKING CAP FOR GASOLINE TANKS Filed Nov. 28, 1930 .5. FaZ'rcAi/d.

a llm' i y W Patented Jan. 5, 1932 EDWIN BRADLEY EAIRGHILD, or MANILA, PHILIPPI E ISLANDS SELF-LOCKING CAI? FOR GASOLINE TANKS Application filed November 28, 1930. Serial No. 498,833.

This invention relates to. storage receptacles and more particularly to. an. improved cap for closing the filling neck of a receptacle or tank of the type in which, gasoline is stored H upon, an automobile. p

, One. object of the invention is to provide a cap which,.when applied to the filling neck ofa gasoline tank, may be firmly secured and prevented from being removedby un- 1, authorized persons.

Another object of the invention is to' so construct the cap and the upper end of the filling neck of the tank that, while the cap may be easily applied and moved toa secured position, it cannot be released and removed from the neck without use ofa, key.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide the cap with a resilient neck-engaging strip so mounted that, While the cap may be easily applied, to the. filling neck of the tank, the securing strip will be prevented vfrom having sufiicient flexing movement in one direction to permit the cap. to be forcedupwardly ofi the, neck.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein g V Figure 1 is a sectional view showing the improved cap applied to the neck of a gasoline tank and secured thereon,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing the neck in vertical section and the cap about to be applied thereto, and V Fig. 4 is a sectional view through a modified form of filling neck. The tank, which is indicated in general by the numeral 1 represents a tank of a conventional construction such as is'used for storing 4o gasoline upon an automobile. This tank may neck 2. The neck is open at its endsand at its upper end has its walls bentinwardly 745 and then downwardly to form an annular flange 3 having a depending circumferentially extending lip 4 about its margins. By this arrangement gasoline may be easily poured into the filling neck when the cap is removed and in addition theflange 3 and its depending lip 4 will also serve toreinforce the upper end ofthe neck and prevent it from being easily bent out of shape. i

In order to close the upper end of the neck 2, therehas been provided a cap 5 which may be formed of cast pressed or otherwise shaped metal or a suitable composition. Thiscap has; its lower portion reduced to form a depending extension 6 surrounded by a circumferentially extending groove ,or recess 7 or 6D sufiicient width to receive the upper end of the neck 2 and the extension is'recessed from its lower endto form a pocket 8 h Wingits marginal walls formed withfopposed openings 9.; The depending extension of thecap is of such diameter that, when the cap is applied to the filling neck of the tank, the lip 4' will fit snugly about .the extension, and vfrom an inspection of Figures 2 and 3 it will be seen that opposed portions of the flange and lip have been cut to form recesses or passages 10 intended to register with the openings 9 whenthe cap is first applied to the neck. These passages lOare out, as. shown in Figures 2 and 3, and each hasone side edge .75 cut straight whereas the other sideedge has its lower portion eurve d,,asshow1 1 at 11, and merging into the lower edge of the lip. ,'A securing stripl2 formedof steel or other re-- silient metal, extends diametrically through the pocket 8 with its ends projecting outwardly through the openings 9, and in orde'r to secure. the strip, there has been provideda screw 13 which extends through an opening formed in the strip midway its length and is received in a threaded socket 14 formed in the cap. Therefore, this securing strip will be firmly held in place but maybe removed in case replacement thereof is necessary, lock 15 of ,a conventional constructionand adapted to be actuated by a key 16 is embedded in the cap during molding thereof and this look has a plunger 17 yieldably held in its projected position in a conventional manned and adapted to be retracted when the key is inserted and turned in the proper direction.

An opening 18 to receive the plunger 17 is formed in the flange 3 in spaced relation to one side of one of the passages 10,and from an inspection of Figure 1 it will be readily seen that when the plunger is engaged in the opening it will be impossible to turn the cap upon the neck until the key is inserted and the plunger retracted.

The tank 1 is mounted upon the automobile in the usual manner and the gasoline poured into the tank through the filling neck. After the gasoline has been poured into the tank, the cap is applied in the position shown in Figure 3 andupon being thrust downwardly' the ends of i the securing strip 12 passed downwardly through the passages until the upper end of the neck is seated in the groove 7. When the cap is first applied and the securing strip passes downwardly through the passage 10, the plunger 17 rests upon the'flange at a point about midway between the passage 10 and the opening 18. Therefore, cap may be turned to' move the plunger towards the opening 18 without intereference. When the cap is turned, side edges of the projecting ends of the securing strip bear against the curved lower end portions 11 of the walls of the passages thereby causing a cam action to take place which forces these ends of the securingstripdownwardly until they bear against the lower edge faces of the lip 1. As soon as the plunger reaches the opening 18, it moves downwardly into this opening thereby firmly securing the cap and preventing the cap from being turned in a releasing direction until the key is inserted and the plunger again retracted. It will thus be seen that the cap may not be turned in order to remove it unless a person is in possession of thekey. In view of the fact that the securing strip is resilient, it will exert pressure upon the lower edge of the lip and prevent rattling. It should also be noted that since the ends of the strip are passed through openings 9 these end portions of the strip cannot be moved downwardly be- I yond the position shown in Figure 1. There fore, an unauthorized person attempting to remove the cap cannot force-thecap upwardly out of the neck,

In Figure 4:, there has been shown a modifled construction. In this form the neck 19 is of an even diameter throughout its height and instead of bending the upper portion of the neck to form a flange having a depending lip, there has been provided a ring 20 which fits snugly into the neck where it is firmly secured by rivets 21. Diametrically opposed portions of the ring are cut to form recesses 1. A filling neck open at its upper end, an

' internal flange in said neck formed with opposed passages opening through its upper and lower edge faces and having a seat disposed in spaced relation to one side of one passage and opening through the upper edge face of the fiange,a cap for said neck having a depending portion extending into the neck when applied, a springstrip extending across the depending portion with its ends projecting for passage through the passages of the flange and engagement with the under facethereof when the cap is applied to the neck and turned, means to limit downward movement of the end portions of said strip, and a lock carried by said cap and having a depending plunger to engage in said seat and secure the cap to the neck. I

'2. Afilling neck open at its upper end, an internal annular flange in said neck formed with opposed passages and with a seat spaced from' one passage circumferentially of the flange, a side wall of each passage having an arcuate lower portion merging into the lower edge face ofthe flange, a cap for said neck having a depending portion, the under face of the depending portion being recessed to form a pocket and walls of the pocket being formed with opposed openings, a resilient strip in said pocket having its ends projecting through said openings and adapted to pass through the passages of said flange and engage against the lower edge face thereofwh'en the cap is applied to the neck and turned, a releasable fastener for said spring strip engaged through the same intermediate its length, and a lock carried by said cap and having a depending plunger to engage in said seat and releasably secure the cap against turning when applied to the neck.

3. A filling neck open at its upper end, an internal annular flange in the upper endportion'of said neck, a cap for said neck having a body to rest uponthe neck and an extension to extend into the neck with the flange fitting snugly about the extension, said extension being formed with a pocket in its under face having walls formed with opposed passages, the flange having opposed recesses formed therein leading from itsinner side face and opening through its upper and lower faces, a seat being formed in the flange in spaced relation to one side of one of the passages formed therein, a resilient securing strip in said pocket having end portions projecting through the passages in the walls thereof and passed downwardly through the passages in the flange and having binding engagement with the lower edge face thereof when the cap is applied to the neck and turned a partial rotation, and a lock carried by the body portion of said cap and having a depending plunger to engage in said seat and releasably secure the kcap against rotation when applied to the neo In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

E. BRADLEY FAIRCHILD. 

